


What Nightmares Are Made Of

by awesomesockes, whumphoarder



Series: Christ, What Now? [8]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alive Tony Stark, And a fucking break, Angst, Crack, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Humor, Misunderstandings, Nightmares, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Pepper Potts Needs a Hug, Pepperony - Freeform, the poor woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 05:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20204647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesomesockes/pseuds/awesomesockes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/whumphoarder/pseuds/whumphoarder
Summary: It doesn’t matter how many times Pepper is pulled from her sleep to find Tony panting and thrashing on the bed, mumbling anxiously under his breath while cold sweat pours down his face and neck. It never gets any easier to watch.(Though this time, she almost wishes she just stayed asleep).





	What Nightmares Are Made Of

**Author's Note:**

> This is the product of our two delirious minds standing in line for untold hours at Universal Studios.
> 
> Thanks to [sallyidss](https://sallyidss.tumblr.com/) and [xxx-cat-xxx](https://xxx-cat-xxx.tumblr.com/) for beta reading!

It doesn’t matter how many times Pepper is pulled from her sleep to find Tony panting and thrashing on the bed, mumbling anxiously under his breath while cold sweat pours down his face and neck. It never gets any easier to watch.

“Tony,” she whispers, gently shaking his shoulder, but the man only moans. “Tony wake up.”

“No, no...” he mutters, rolling away, eyes still closed tightly and face scrunched up in apparent pain. “This can’t be happening… Stop it...”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, Tony,” she tries again, shaking him a little more firmly. “You gotta wake up,” she urges. “Just a dream.”

“No! You can’t do this to us...” he groans. Tears are running down his cheeks now. “You can’t, I beg you... The universe can’t take it! Not after everything…”

Sitting up fully, Pepper flips on the bedside lamp in concern. Tony seemed to be doing better lately—he hasn’t had a nightmare this bad since before the reversal. “Tony!” she implores. “You have to wake up, honey. Please.”

Finally, Tony’s eyes snap open and dart around the room as he tries to get his bearings. “Pep?” he gasps.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, Tony. Just breathe,” she instructs, running her fingers soothingly up and down his arm. 

His hand clutched to his still heaving chest, Tony manages to sit up before hiding his face in his hands. “God…” he breathes. “That was awful. ‘M’sorry to wake you…”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she assures. After pausing for a second, she asks quietly, “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Swallowing hard and squeezing his eyes shut, Tony shakes his head. “Don’t wanna relive it.”

Pepper nods. She’s used to this—Tony’s never been one to share the details of his frequent night terrors, but she figures it’s still worth a try every once in a while. “Think you’ll be able to go back to sleep?”

Tony hesitates for a second. “I don’t know,” he answers honestly. “Every time I close my eyes I see his stupid face—”

Pepper nods understandingly. Thanos still haunts her nightmares too sometimes.

“—with that goddamn trophy,” Tony finishes.

She frowns in confusion. “You mean the Gauntlet?”

Tony returns her frown. “What Gauntlet? Who are you talking about?”

She blinks at him. “Thanos. Who are  _ you _ talking about?”

Turning to face her fully now, Tony replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “Barton.”

“What?” Pepper is thoroughly confused now. “Why the hell are you dreaming about  _ Clint _ ?” she demands. 

Tony scoffs. “Well, it’s not like I  _ want to _ …”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Pepper heaves out a sigh. After nearly two decades with Tony Stark, the man still manages to be as exasperating as ever. “Explain.”

Tony waves a hand, looking a little sheepish now. “No, no it’s fine—”

“No,” she cuts him off. “If I have to be up for this, I want to know what your subconscious Clint Barton did to elicit this response.”

Tony rolls his eyes. “He won a fucking Oscar.”

Pepper blinks again. “An Oscar? For what?”

Sliding back down onto the mattress, Tony pulls the covers up to his chin. “I said I didn’t want to talk about it…” he grumbles.

Pepper crosses her arms over her chest, giving him an unamused look.

“Alright, fine!” Tony huffs. “You know that movie they’re making about me? About my life and the Iron Man thing and all that?”

She nods—it’s been all over the news for the past month and the PR team has been in frequent contact with her. Ever since he saved the universe, it seems everyone wants to make a tribute to her husband’s heroism.

“Well, they cast him,” Tony goes on. “As me. Clint Barton played Tony Stark in the movie about my life.” He shudders at the recollection. “Fucking nightmare.” Rolling over to face the opposite wall, Tony groans. “I had to go to the ceremony, Pep. His smug little face as he stood there in some third-rate Comic Con replica of the suit…”

Despite the early morning hour, Pepper can’t help but let out a small giggle. “I would absolutely pay to see this.”

Tony moans, pulling the comforter up over his head before mumbling, “Everyone did. Highest grossing fucking film of 2024…”

Grinning in spite of herself, Pepper pats him on the shoulder. “There there, honey. The producers just posted the cast list today and Clint’s definitely not on it.”

“Thank god…” Tony groans.

She goes on, “I’m sure Dwayne Johnson will do a much better job of portraying you.”

Tony shoots up with a start. “They picked the fucking ROCK?!” he demands.

Pepper breaks into laughter. “Calm down,” she says between giggles. “I’m just messing with you.” She pauses for a beat. “It’s gonna be Zac Efron.”

“I should have snapped Hollywood away when I had the chance."  Tony throws an arm dramatically over his face. “Can we sue?”

**Author's Note:**

> Come and hang out on tumblr if you want: [whumphoarder](https://whumphoarder.tumblr.com/) & [awesomesockes](http://awesomesockes.tumblr.com/)


End file.
